The Moths of the British Isles Volume I Part 21

NOTE.--Although _Callimorpha_ is here left in its old position among Arctiidae, the genus has been referred by Hampson to Hypsidae, a family of moths belonging to the African, Oriental, and Australian regions. Our two species are the sole representatives of the family in Europe.

THE FEATHERED FOOTMAN (_Coscinia striata_).

Altogether there do not appear to have been more than six or seven specimens of this species (Plate 90) recorded as British. Stephens mentions three of these, two males taken in the autumn of 1815, near Windsor; and one specimen, without date, in the Isle of Anglesea. Of the others one appears to have been taken in Yorks.h.i.+re (1832), one in Ess.e.x, and another in North Wales (1859). Barrett also refers to a specimen, which was captured but afterwards escaped, near Bettws-y-Coed, North Wales, June, 1859, and gives some circ.u.mstantial details of the event. It appears, therefore, that of the very limited number of British _striata_ North Wales has furnished almost half. The species is widely distributed in Europe, except the most northern part; the range extending into Asia Minor, Syria, Armenia, and Amurland. Abroad, it occurs on heaths, and in warm dry places.

The caterpillar is blackish-brown, {168} marked with orange on the back, and white on the sides; the warts are yellowish, and the hairs arising therefrom are reddish brown; the head is black. It feeds in spring, after hibernation, on gra.s.ses, heather, and low herbage, and becomes full grown in May.

THE SPECKLED FOOTMAN (_Coscinia cribrum_).

The fore wings are whitish, crossed by three rows of blackish grey dots, more or less connected, forming lines; and two streaks of the same colour through the length of the wings, but not always extending to the outer margin; a cross series of wedge-shaped marks or dots on the outer area; hind wings grey. Sometimes the fore wings are wholly suffused with the darker colour, and between such specimens and less frequent examples in which the wings are almost devoid of marking, there are many gradations (Plate 90, Figs. 1 [male], 2 [female]; 4, 5, 6 vars.).

Eggs received from the New Forest, June 25, 1907, were laid around a slender, bare, twig of heather, the batch measuring about three-quarters of an inch in length. At first they were golden yellow, but afterwards became pale purplish brown and very glossy (Plate 91).

Although the eggs appear to be more frequently laid on heather than on anything else, the caterpillars do not seem to be very partial to the plant as an article of food if others are available. At the present time (October 13) I have about a score or so of young larvae feeding, and apparently thriving, on dandelion, lettuce, and gra.s.s, but they certainly seem to prefer the first named. They are now rather over half an inch in length, and yellowish brown in colour; there is a whitish grey stripe along the back; the warts are s.h.i.+ning black, and the hairs arising from them are black, mixed with a few longer white ones; head blackish.

Caterpillars after hibernation have been found on the gra.s.s, {169} _Aira caespitosa_, during March from about the 10th onwards; they are then about a quarter of an inch long, and according to the late Mr. Fowler, always found on the sunny side of the clumps of _Aira_ stretched out, and evidently enjoying the warmth of the sun. Some collected in that month were reared on groundsel, and produced moths from July 12 to August 20. The chrysalis is at first reddish, afterwards s.h.i.+ning jet black; in a slight egg-shaped white silken coc.o.o.n, spun up in tufts of gra.s.s.

In exceptional seasons the moth has emerged in late May, but June and July are the usual months, and it may occur as late as August. It rests among the heather, is easily disturbed on sunny days, and is very active on the wing, although it does not fly far before settling again. The species is very local in England, and only found on a heath near Bournemouth, in a heathy district between Ringwood and Verwood in Dorset, and in a not generally known part of the New Forest.

THE CRIMSON SPECKLED (_Deiopeia pulch.e.l.la_).

This white moth, prettily speckled with black and red dots, is a native of warmer countries than ours. However, it not only visits us now and then in the course of its wanderings, but if the migrants arrive in England at a suitable time of the year, the females most probably deposit eggs from which caterpillars may hatch, and some of them feed up and produce moths later in the same year. Stephens, writing in 1829, mentions a specimen taken many years previously in Yorks.h.i.+re. This was no doubt the earliest known British example of Haworth's Crimson Speckled. A second specimen captured in a field near Christchurch, Hants, in October, 1818, was figured by Samouelle in 1819. Between the year last mentioned and 1827, two other specimens occurred, both at Hove, Suss.e.x. Stainton (1857) adds Epping, Manchester, Stowmarket, and Worthing. In 1869 {170} three specimens were taken in the autumn; and a specimen was found at Scarborough in June, 1870, and one in Suss.e.x. In 1871 a record was established, when at least thirty specimens were obtained at various places on the east, south, and south-west coasts, and in the Isle of Wight; one specimen being also recorded from Manchester. Two specimens were taken in Cornwall, May, 1874, and in the autumn of that year three occurred on the south coast, and one in Derbys.h.i.+re. The moth seems not to have been noticed in the springs of 1875 or 1876, but twenty-four specimens were recorded later in the former year, and twenty-three in the latter. Between 1876 and 1892 less than twenty specimens were reported altogether, and the species was either entirely absent or overlooked in 1877, 1882, 1883, and from 1887 to 1891, inclusive. In 1892 several moths were captured in May and June on the coast; one at Brighton in July, two in the Hastings' district, and one at Folkestone in August. Since 1892 and up to 1907, a period of fifteen years, the species seems to have been rarely noted in England; the records showing in 1894 (2), 1895 (1), 1906 (1). In 1901 three specimens were reported as captured, and one seen at Earlsfield, Surrey, July 1 to 15. (Plate 92, Figs. 3, 4.)

The caterpillar is greyish with black warts from which arise tufts of hairs, blackish on the back and pale greyish on the sides; a white line on the back, and one on the sides. Each ring is often barred with orange. Head reddish-ochreous marked with black. Feeds on forget-me-not (_Myosotis_), borage (_Borago_), etc. The chrysalis is reddish brown, enclosed in a white silken coc.o.o.n spun up among the food plant, or on the surface of the ground; in the latter case particles of earth adhere to the outside.

[Ill.u.s.tration]

Pl. 90.

1, 2, 4, 5, 6. SPECKLED FOOTMAN MOTH.

3. FEATHERED FOOTMAN MOTH.

[Ill.u.s.tration]

Pl. 91.

SPECKLED FOOTMAN: _eggs and caterpillar_.

{171} The caterpillar is said to feed only in the suns.h.i.+ne, so that in our islands the weather conditions would often be most unfavourable to the species in the larval state. On the other hand its sun-loving habit would expose it to the attacks of parasitical flies and other enemies. Anyway, the Crimson Speckled seems quite unable to increase and multiply to any extent even for a season in any part of England. Along the African and European borders of the Mediterranean there are evidently several generations of the moth in each year; the life cycle of the summer broods being short, but more protracted in the later brood. Brownlow states that eggs laid on October 20, hatched on the 22nd of the same month, and the caterpillar stage lasted until February of the following year.

Distribution: Southern Europe, Africa, Canaries, Madeira; Asia Minor, Armenia, Central Asia; India, and Australia.

Meyrick and others refer this species to _Utetheisa_, Hubn.

THE CINNABAR (_Hipocrita jacobaeae_).

This species was named the Cinnabar by Wilkes in 1773, such name of course referring to the more or less vermillion colour of the hind wings and the markings on the greyish black fore wings. The hind wings are often pinkish in tint, and probably it was to such specimens that Moses Harris gave the name "Pink Underwing." Very rarely the stripe on the front edge of the fore wings unites with the upper hind marginal spot; still less frequently there are some crimson scales in addition connecting the two hind marginal spots.

Occasionally specimens have been recorded in which the usual red colour is replaced by bright yellow. The moth is shown on Plate 92, Figs. 1, 2, and the early stages on Plate 93, Fig. 1.

The caterpillar is orange yellow and each ring is banded with purplish black; the scanty hairs are short and blackish in colour. Head black. Feeds in July and August on ragwort (_Senecio jacobaea_) and sometimes occurs in such numbers as to completely clear large patches of the plant of every particle of green, leaving nothing but the tougher portions of the bare stems. {172}

The chrysalis is dark-brown tinged with reddish; in a slight silken coc.o.o.n just under the surface of the ground, or among any loose material on the ground.

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIG. 24.

CINNABAR CATERPILLARS FEEDING.

(Photo by W. J. Lucas.)]

The moth is on the wing at the end of May and in June; odd specimens have occasionally been seen in April. It occurs on waste ground, sandy heaths, railway banks, downs, and hill-sides. Although fairly common generally, in some years it is not at all plentiful even when caterpillars may have abounded the previous season. When disturbed from among its food plant or herbage around, it is not very active on the wing, and is easily captured.

Its usual time of flight is in the evening. Light seems to have an attraction for it, as it has been taken at gas lamps in towns, some distance from any place where the caterpillar could have fed.

Occurs in all suitable places throughout the greater part of England and in Scotland up to Moray. Common in Ireland. Its range abroad includes all Europe, except the extreme north and extends into Asia.

[Ill.u.s.tration]

Pl. 92.

1. CINNABAR MOTH, _male_; 2 _female_.

3. CRIMSON SPECKLED FOOTMAN, _male_; 4 _female_.

5. RED-NECKED FOOTMAN, _male_; 6 _female_.

[Ill.u.s.tration]

Pl. 93.

1, 1a. CINNABAR: _caterpillar and chrysalis_.

2, 2a. REDNECKED FOOTMAN: _caterpillar and chrysalis_.

{173}

FOOTMAN MOTHS (_Lithosiinae_).

The members of this sub-family of Arctiidae occurring in the British Isles are not numerous; we can only muster some fifteen species, and although a few are not uncommon, several are exceedingly local.

The moths of the genus _Lithosia_, when resting, fold their drab or buff-coloured wings down closely along the body, and they then have a very elongate and stiff appearance which probably gave rise to their English name "Footmen." Most of them are very inactive, or even torpid during the daytime. They repose on the branches and leaves of trees and bushes, or among heather and other low herbage, and often fall to the ground when disturbed. At dusk they become active and then fly pretty briskly.

The caterpillars are very hairy, the hairs arising in tufts from warts (tubercles) are usually short, but in some species are of moderate length.

The majority hatch from the egg in the late summer, and do not complete their growth until the following year, about May or June. Some of them are known to be more or less active through the winter. In a state of nature most of the caterpillars feed on lichens growing on trees, bushes, rocks, or on the ground, but many kinds in confinement will thrive on a diet of lettuce or even withered leaves.

In all cases the chrysalids are enclosed in silken coc.o.o.ns, and these are spun up among the lichens, in crevices of bark, or other suitable crannies.

THE RED-NECKED FOOTMAN (_Atolmis rubricollis_).

When newly emerged from the chrysalis this moth is black on all the wings, but it soon loses its early velvety sheen and {174} becomes sooty in appearance; the last rings are orange, but all the rest of the body is black; the thorax also is black, but the part nearest the head, termed the collar, is red, hence the common English name Red-neck moth given to it by Harris (1778). Haworth called it the "Black Footman."

The caterpillar is greyish, more or less freckled with ochreous; three lines along the back, the central one whitish, the others black and interrupted; the hairs arising from reddish warts are brown or greyish brown. Head black. It feeds from July to October on lichens, chiefly those growing on fir and oak, but also on beech, and on old palings. Chrysalis, glossy dark red-brown in a tight-fitting coc.o.o.n of silk mixed with the hairs of the caterpillar; spun up among the lichen. The moth is shown on Plate 92, Figs. 5, 6, and the caterpillar and chrysalis on Plate 93.

The moth is on the wing in June and July; in forward seasons as early as the end of May. On a sunny afternoon it may be seen careering around trees, generally pretty high up. When resting the moths sit about on the trees or on the herbage under them. In some years it occurs in large numbers, but it is not usually very abundant, and sometimes even in its best localities only a few specimens will be seen during the season. It frequents woods, especially the larger ones, throughout the southern half of England up to Norfolk on the east, and Hereford on the west. In the northern counties it is rare, and is not common in Scotland or Ireland.

Abroad, its range is through Central and Northern Europe, except the extreme north, to Dalmatia, Altai, and Amurland.

THE MUSLIN (_Nudaria mundana_).

This delicate little moth has the semi-transparent fore wings pale greyish, faintly tinged with brown; crossed by irregular brownish lines; the hind wings are paler, shaded with a darker tint on the outer margins.